A locking nut of the kind generally described above is disclosed in SE-435 417 C. The locking nut disclosed in this document has a number of internal recesses opening in the inner envelope surface of the nut and each one of the recesses is equipped with a locking element tightened by a screw. Each recess is formed with tapering wall portions and the locking elements are formed in correspondence therewith and are elastically deformable so that by their resiliency they are intended to move outwards from their locking positions when the screws are loosened.
However when using large versions of such locking nuts, e.g. for spindles of wind turbines, it has turned out that the counter-force obtained by the resiliency of the locking elements when the screws are loosened is insufficient for moving the locking elements out of their locking positions. Thus, the locking nut will not be disengaged from the shaft.